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Josh Guskin's passion for arcade games has turned into a "labor of love." (Photo courtesy of Jim F. Kennedy)

Game on: Expo to showcase growing retro gaming business

By: David Winzelberg August 3, 2018Comments Off on Game on: Expo to showcase growing retro gaming business

The Melville garage that doubles as a work space for Josh Guskin seems a lot like a game of Tetris, with arcade machines semi-organized in some kind of crowded maze.

Guskin’s fledgling manufacturing company called Guscade is one of a growing number of businesses dedicated to the world of retro gaming, where video games of the past have been resurrected for a new breed of aficionados.

In the past several years, the renewed popularity of former arcade staples like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Galaga is creating a renaissance of sorts, with those firmly into adulthood reliving their teens and parents introducing their kids to games they once spent much of their time and plenty of quarters on to play.

Photo by Jim F. Kennedy

For Guskin, his passion became a business.

“This started as a hobby 15 years ago,” Guskin told LIBN. “I started by refurbishing older video game machines. One turned into five and then there were 30 in my basement.”

Today, Guskin recreates brand-new enhanced arcade machines that have long been out of production, by sourcing parts from all over the world and assembling them himself. The new-old machines look just like the ones found in arcades and sell for between $1,695 and $2,500. Customers for his work have come from as far away as Canada.

Guscade will be one of about 100 vendors at next week’s Retro Gaming Expo at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, the fourth annual iteration of the trade show on Long Island.

Founded by Joel Albino, a technology architect for Osmosis Development in Floral Park, the expo was born out of a Facebook group called Long Island Retro Gaming.

“We wanted to have a meet-up of some sort,” Albino said. “Somehow, it turned into this.”

While the expo had modest beginnings in a conference room of a Hauppauge hotel, the show soon outgrew the venue and moved to the Cradle of Aviation last year, drawing more than 3,000 attendees.

This year’s two-day expo, scheduled for Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, will feature a wide selection of game-related merchandise, including original art, apparel and a plethora of game cartridges and systems. There will be more than 20 tournaments pitting player against player in games like Mario Kart, Street Fighter and many more.

Featured at this year’s expo will be a video game museum where fans can get a look at a 1987 Sharp gaming computer and other relics. There will also be a “home-brew area” where developers will showcase new games that can be played on older systems and an “achievement station” where players can compete for high scores for a chance to win a medal and a prize.

For the newbies, the expo will have learn-to-play sessions to teach tips and tricks for a variety of games.

“We want to make gaming accessible to a lot of new players,” Albino said. “That’s a huge initiative.”

Rob Fogarty, another expo vendor, says the ongoing retro game resurgence is creating new customers.

“We’re seeing it in young kids, they’re looking for the older stuff,” he said.

Fogarty, who owns two retail stores called East End Gaming in Oakdale and Eastport, said events like the expo are a big boost for the business.

“It brings awareness on a much larger scale than a single store,” Fogarty said.

The video game sector is a big business which continues to grow. This year, the value of the industry in the U.S. is estimated to be worth more than $19 billion, up from $15 billion five years ago, according to Statista.com.

Albino says the popularity of retro games is apparent by the success of the Long Island expo.

“Just look at the show’s attendance alone,” he said, adding that he’s expecting an even bigger crowd this year.

Meanwhile, vendors like Guscade are hoping the event will help spread the word about their businesses.

“I just want to show the quality of my work and get exposure,” Guskin said. “I think it’s going to be a huge hit.”

Last year’s Retro Gaming Expo at the Cradle of Aviation Museum drew more than 3,000 people. (Photo courtesy of John F. Sheehan Photography)

What: Long Island Retro Gaming Expo

Where: Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City

When: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12

Advanced tickets for adults: $22 for Saturday, $20 for Sunday, $35 for both days

Advanced tickets for children (ages 12 and under): $12 for Saturday, $10 for Sunday, $20 for both days

At the door: $25 a day for adults, $15 a day for children 12 and under.